Expert: Ed - 12/18/2008

Question
How do views of the stars change from season to season?

Answer
Tina,

It's mostly because you can only see stars when it's dark outside.  That sounds too simple, but think about it.  The Earth revolves around the sun, right?  And during the daytime, the sun is so bright that you can't see any stars in the sky, (except the sun), right?

Well, think about that for a minute.  Take any month of the year, at random.  It doesn't matter which month.  Let's say December, just because it's December now.  Well, in December, we can see the stars that are in the direction that the dark side of the Earth is pointing in, in other wodrs, we can see the stars that are on the nighttime side of the Earth.  That makes sense, right?

Well, in six months, the Earth will be at the opposite side of its orbit around the sun.  That means that the stars that are on the night side of the Earth  right now, in December, will be on the daytime side of the Earth in six months, in June.  So, the glare from the sun will block them out, and you won't be able to see them.

I hope this makes sense.  Keep Looking Up!
--Ed